Tabulator



Dec. 31, 1935 F. A. NIEMANN 2,026,245

TABULATOR Filed Sept. 15, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNEY Dec. 31, 1935. MEMANN 2,026,245

TABULATOR Filed Sept. 15, 1933 s Shets-Sheet 2 f ZINVE WTORSJ M 6 W A TTORNEY'.

Dec. 31, 1935. F, MEMANN 2,026,245

TABULATOR Filed Sept. 15, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORSI A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 31, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC TABULATOB Application September 15, 1933, Serial No. 689.589

20 Claim.

This invention relates to tabulators and has more particular reference to devices of this type in which a plurality of sheets or strips of paper are arranged in side by side overlapping relation for ready comparison of, the data contained thereon, or for the transfer of data from one sheet to another in line to line relationship. While the invention will hereinafter be described as embodied in a tabulator of the portable, manually operable type, it will be readily appreciated that the invention is capable of valuable and advantageous use in tabulators of other character.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a tabulator of the character described, in which means are provided for releasably mounting a plurality of strips of paper in side by side relation, and for moving said strips simultaneously with respect to a fixed line guide to facilitate the making of entries on corresponding lines of different strips.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described, in which a fixed line guide overlies a plurality of strips of paper and frictionally engages the same in order to maintain the strips taut as they are moved simultaneously with respect to the line guide.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described, embodying a movable sheet or strip holding means or holding bar upon which a. plurality of strips of paper may be quickly and easily secured in side by side, properly alined relation, and which may be inverted without disturbing the relative positions of the several strips so as to enable the operator to make necessary comparisons or entries on the opposite sides of the strips, if the same are of the type which are printed on both sides.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described, embodying means for moving the holding bar and the strips of paper secured thereto across a platen or the like, and in which the lines on said strips are always maintained in parallelism with a flxed line guide.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of novel and efficient means for manually moving the holding bar and strips of paper relative to a fixed line guide.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a tabulator of the portable type, which is compact in construction, simple in operation, and which may be mounted on a long, may be suspended over the edge of the table.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better a understood from the following description, which, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof.

On the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tabulator constructed in accordance with the invention, with the central part broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the tabulator shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view on a larger scale, illustrating a link of the chain for mov ing the holding bar and the stud carried thereby for releasable engagement with the holding bar;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view 20 of an edge portion of the tabulator, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of one end of the holding bar;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 25 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the manner in which the holding bar is connected to its actuating means in an inverted position; and 30 Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the improved tabulator, viewed in a different direction from Fig. 1, and illustrating the same mounted on a table with the paper strips overhanging the edge thereof. 4

The tabulator constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises a pair of vertically disposed, longitudinally extending side bars ll formed with inwardly extending horizontal flanges I2 provided with feet l3 of rubber or the like for frictional engagement with. a suitable support, such as the top of a table shown at H in Fig. 8. The side bars II are suitably secured to the sides of longitudinally extending wooden strips l5 connected by transversely extending 45 metallic frame members IS. A horizontally disposed platen, back support or base ll, of any suitable material, is secured to the strips l5 and the members IS, with the side edges thereof in spaced relation to the side bars II, which bars 50 extend upwardly above the strips l5 sufiiciently to define channels l8 extending along each side of the platen I'I (Fig. 4).

Mounted in each of the channels l8, in sliding engagement with the associated strip l5, isan I endless sprocket chain I9 which extends around a drive sprocket wheel 2| fixed to a transversely extending shaft 22 journaled in the side bars il adjacent the front of the device. The lower or idle reach of the chain l9 extends rearwardly beneath the strip l and upwardly around an idle sprocket wheel 23 fixed to a transversely extending shaft 24 journaled in the rear ends of the side bars H. The sprocket chains I9 may be moved simultaneously by means of a knurled knob 25 fixed to one end of the forward shaft 22.

Each chain I9 is provided at spaced intervals with links 26 (Fig. 3) having horizontal portions 21 to which vertical studs or pins 28 are suitably secured. The corresponding studs 28 of the chains l9 are arranged directly opposite one another and are adapted to be engaged by a holding bar, indicated generally at 23.

The holding means or bar 29 preferably comprises a flat metal plate or strap 3| (Fig. 5) provided with keyhole notches 32 and 32a. in opposite longitudinal edges adjacent the ends of the strap, which notches are adapted to removably engage the studs 28. The strap 3| is also provided with a plurality of vertically extending, longitudinally spaced impaling members or pins 33 for engagement with the impaling perforations 34 provided adjacent the upper edges of a plurality of strips of paper 35. These strips 35 may be disposed in side by side relation on the strap 3|, or in overlapping relation (as shown in the drawings) but in either event the pins 33 accurately locate the strips with respect to each other so that they are not only parallel but the ruled lines on the several strips are in alinement with one another. The strips 35 are held against displacement from the pins 33 by means of an elongated spring clip 33 of inverted U-shape in section, which is adapted to be forced downwardly over the pins 33 in frictional contact therewith for abutting engagement with the several strips of paper.

The device is provided with a line guide, indicated generally at 31, adjacent the forward edge thereof, which co-operates with the platen H to provide a sight line common to all of the strips and disposed within convenient sight range of the operator to facilitate. the reading of matter entered on the several strips. This line guide also functions to maintain the strips taut as they are moved over the platen and holds them in flat condition and against accidental displacement relative to one another at this point.

This line guide preferably comprises a transversely extending bar 38 having downwardly extending rear end flanges 39 and a forward beveled portion H with which the lines 42 of the several strips of paper 35 are adapted to register successively as they are moved across the platen by the holding bar 29. The line guide 31 is mounted for vertical swinging movement by means of arms 43, one secured to each end thereof, which arms are pivotally mounted intermediate their ends at 44 to the side bars II. The ends 45 of the arms 43 are offset outwardly for engagement with stop pins 46 (also provided on the side bars ii) to support the line guide 31 when the same is swimg upwardly to its inoperative position shown by broken lines in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the several strips of paper 35 are maintained in accurate position relative to one another with the ruled lines 42 thereof parallel to the beveled portion 4| of the line guide, and that these strips may be drawn simultaneously over the platen I! by the holding bar 29 through the medium of the sprocket chains I9 and the knob 23. The line guide 31 provides a reading line common to all of the strips, which line is disposed within 5 a fixed and convenient sight range as the indicia on the strips are selectively moved into registration with the line guide.

In the event that the strips of paper are printed on both sides, they may be reversed with 10 respect to the platen without being disengaged from the holding bar 29 by merely inverting the holding bar, as shown in Fig. 7, in which position the pins 28 carried by the sprocket chains l9 will be engaged by the keyhole notches 32a on the 15 opposite edge of the strap 3 I.

It will be obvious from inspection of Fig. 8 of the drawings that a tabulator constructed in accordance with the present invention may be mounted adjacent the edge of a table or the like, 20 so that the long strips of paper may hang downwardly where they will not be in the way of the operator.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from 25 the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material 0 advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a tabulator, a holding bar adapted to receive and hold a multiplicity of strips of pa- 35 per having columns of numerical data in a side by side assembly, a. movable device to which said holding bar may be attached, a platen, over which the strips of paper may be drawn, forming a foundation for the movable device, said 40 device being movable relative to said platen, and a line guide mounted to extend transversely across said strips of paper and under which the strips of paper may be moved to selectively register the trains of numerical items occurring 45 from the juxtaposition of the paper strip assembly. said line guide providing a reading line common to all of said strips disposed within a flxed and easy sight range as the numerical items are selectively brought to registration with 50 said sight line, said line guide being also adapted to hold the paper -strips taut and against the platento prevent displacement other than that caused by said holding bar in moving them, relative to said platen and said line guide, to 55 their various points for reading and for recording the cross-adding of said items.

2. In a tabulating device, a. holding bar adapted to hold by their ends a multiplicity of strips of paper having columns of numerical 00 data in a side by side assembly, in combination with a platen over which the paper strips may be drawn and adapted for use at the front edge of a. table or desk so that the paper may fall over the front edge of the platen and desk or table to allow the use of long strips of paper having long columns of numerical data, a line guide adapted ta overlie the paper strips and so attached to the platen as to provide a means of alinement an'd cross-reading of any of the trains of numerical items occurring from the juxtaposition of the paper strip assembly, the position of the line guide being such as to provide a. reading line common to all of said strips disposed within a fixed and easy sight range of the operator's eye and to hold the paper strips taut as they are being drawn over the platen for registration and the recording of cross-adding of the numerical items.

3. In a tabulator, a holding bar adapted to receive and hold a multiplicity of strips of paper having columns of numerical data in a side by side assembly, a platen over which the strips of paper may be drawn, a movable device to which said holding bar may be attached to draw the paper strips over the said platen, a line guide arrangeable across said strips and so mounted as to frictionally hold said strips taut and to facilitate cross-reading of any of the lateral trains of numerical data occurring from the juxtaposition of the paper strip assembly, and means for manually operating the movable device to move said holding bar relative to said platen and said line guide.

4. In a tabulator, a holding bar adapted to receive and hold in side by side relation a multiplicity of strips of paper having columns of numerical data, a movable device to which said holding bar may be attached, a'platen over which the strips of numerical data may be drawn, a line guide mounted so as to extend transversely across said strips so that the said strips may be moved into registration therewith to provide means for facilitating the crossreading of any of the lateral trains of numerical data occurring from the juxtaposition of the paper strip assembly and to hold said strips taut, and means for manually operating the movable device to move said holding bar relative to said platen and said line guide.

5. In a tabulator, a backing support, means mounted on said backing support for holding amultiplicity of paper strips having columns of numerical items arranged in side by side assembly, said means being movable to shift the paper strips, and a line guide arrangeable to overlie said paper strips so that by the movement of said paper strip holding means the trains of numerical items formed by the juxtaposition of the paper strip assembly will register with said line guide to provide a means for facilitating cross-reading said numerical items from the columns of numerical data.

6. In a tabulating device, movable holding means adapted to hold in a side by side assembly a multiplicity of strips of paper having columns of numerical data, a platen over which said paper strips may be drawn, means for moving said holding means longitudinally of said paper strips, and a line guide secured to said platen to Irictionally engage said strips and adapted to extend transversely over the paper strips to form a means of alining and cross-reading any of the trains of numerical items occurring from the juxtaposition of the paper strip assembly and the line guide when said holding means is moved relatively to the platen and line guide.

7. In a tabulating device, a movable holding bar adapted to hold by their ends in a side by side assembly a multiplicity of strips of paper having columns of numerical data, a platen over which the paper strips may be drawn, a line guide mounted so as to extend transversely across the paper strips and the platen to hold said strips taut and to serve as a means of alinement and cross-reading of any of the trains of numerical items occurring from the juxtaposition of the paper strip assembly, means for moving said holding bar longitudinally of said paper strips, and means for holding the said platen and line platen in unison, thus causing the alined data guide in a substantially fixed position while the paper strips are being drawn over the platen relative to the line guide for alinement of the trains of numerical items.

8. In a tabulating device, movable means for 5 holding the ends of a multiplicity of strips of paper having columns of numerical items in side by side relation, a platen over which said paper strips may be drawn by said holding means, means for moving said holding means 1 longitudinally of said paper strips relative to said platen, and a substantially fixed line guide overlying the paper strips to serve in the alinement and cross-reading of the trains of numerical items occurring from the juxtaposition of the 15 paper strip assembly, and to hold said strips upon said platen, said fixed line guide providing a reading line common to all of said strips and disposed within a fixed and convenient sight range as the said trains of numerical items are 20 brought into registration with said line guide by the movement of said movable means.

9. In a tabulating device movable means for holding a multiplicity. of strips of paper having columns of numerical data in side by side rela- 25 tion, a platen over which said paper strips may be drawn by said holding means, and a substantially fixed line guide overlying the paper strips to serve in the alinement and cross-reading o! the trains of numerical items occurring from 30' the juxtaposition of the paper strip assembly, said fixed line guide providing a reading line common to all of said strips and disposed within a fixed and easy sight range as the said trains of numerical items are brought into registration 35 with said line guide, said line guide also being adapted to provide means for holding the paper strips down and against displacement other than that caused by the movement of said holding means and said strips carried thereby to their 40 various points of reading.

10. A tabulator, comprising a platen for supporting a plurality of strips of paper having columns of numerical data, a horizontally fixed line guide extending transversely across said (5 platen and overlying said strips of paper, and a holding bar extending transversely with respect to said platen for removably retaining said plurality of strips of paper in side by side relation with the data on the several strips disposed in 50 transverse alinement, said holding bar being mounted for horizontal movement toward and away from said line guide in parallelism thereto so as to draw said strips of paper over said of said strips to successively register with said line guide.

11. A tabulator, comprising a platen for supporting a plurality of strips of paper having columns of numerical data,-a line guide mounted 60 transversely of said platen for vertical swinging movement relative to said platen and normally overlying said strips of paper in frictional contact therewith, and a holding bar extending transversely with respect to said platen for removably retaining said plurality of strips of paper in side by side relation with the data on the several strips disposed in transverse alinement, said holding bar being mounted for horizontal movement toward and away from said line guide in parallelism thereto so as to draw said strips over said platen in unison, thus causing the alined data of said strips to successively register with said line guide.

12. A tabulator, comprising a platen for sup- 7 in i porting a plurality of strips of paper having columns of numerical data, a horizontally fixed line guide extending transversely across said platen and overlying said strips of paper, and a holding bar extending transversely with respect to said platen for removably retaining said plurality of strips of paper in side by side relation with the data on the several strips disposed in transverse alinement, said holding bar being mountedfor horizontal movement toward and away from said line guide in parallelism thereto so as to draw said strips of paper over said platen in unison, thus causing the alined data of said strips to successively register with said line guide, and said holding bar being invertible to permit said strips to be reversed simultaneously to present the data contained on the opposite sides thereof to said line guide.

13. A tabulator, comprising a platen for supporting a plurality of strips of paper having columns of numerical data, a holding bar extending transversely with respect to said platen having means for removably retaining said plurality of strips of paper in side by side relation with the data on the several strips disposed in transverse alinement, a line guide mounted transversely of said platen and overlying said strips of paper and in frictional contact therewith, and means for moving said holding bar in parallelism with said line guide so as to draw said strips over said platen in unison, thus causing the alined data of said strips to successively register with said line guide.

14. A tabulator, comprising a platen for supporting a plurality of strips of paper having columns of numerical data, a movable carrier associated with said platen, a holding bar operatively connected to said carrier and extending transversely with respect to said platen for removably retaining said plurality of strips 01' paper in side by side relation with the data on the several strips disposed in transverse alinement, a line guide associated with said platen and extending transversely over said strips of paper to hold said strips of paper taut, and means for actuating saidcarrier to move said holding bar in parallelism with said line guide so as to draw said strips between said platen and said line guide, thus causing the alined data of said strips to successively register with said line guide.

15. A tabulator, comprising a platen for supporting a plurality of strips of paper having columns of numerical data, an endless carrier disposed on opposite sides of said platen, a holding bar connected at its ends to said carriers and extending transversely with respect to said platen for removably retaining said plurality of strips of paper in side by side relation with the data on the several strips disposed in transverse alinement, a line guide associated with said platen and extending transversely. over said strips of paper to hold said strips of paper taut. and means for moving said carriers in unison to move said holding bar in parallelism with said line guide so as to draw said strips over said platen in unison relative to said line guide and platen, thus causing the alined data oi. said strips to successively register with said line guide.

16. A tabulator, comprising a platen tor supporting a plurality of strips of paper having columns of numerical data, a sprocket chain extending along thelongitudinal sides of said platen. a holding bar connected at its ends to said sprocket chains and extending transversely with respect to said platen for removably retaining said plurality of strips 01' paper in side by side relation with the data on the several strips disposed in transverse alinement, a line 5 guide associated with said platen and extending transversely over said strips of paper to hold said strips 01' paper taut, and means for moving said sprocket chains in unison to move said holding bar in parallelism with said line guide so as to draw said strips over said platen in unison relative to said line' guide and platen, thus causing the alined data of said strips to successively register with said line guide.

17. A tabulator, comprising a platen for supporting a plurality of strips of paper having columns of numerical data. a sprocket chain extending along the longitudinal sides of said platen, a holding bar detachably connected at its ends to said sprocket chains and extending transversely with respect to said platen for removably retaining said plurality of strips of paper in side by side relation with the data on the several strips disposed in transverse alinement, a line guide associated with said platen and extending transversely over said strips 01 paper to irictionally engage said strips 01' paper, and means for moving said sprocket chains in unison to move said holding bar in parallelism with said line guide so as to draw said strips over 80 said platen in unison relative to said line guide and platen, thus causing the alined data of said strips to successively register with said line guide.

18. A tabulator, comprising a platen i'or sup- 85 porting a pluralityoi strips oi paper having columns of numerical data, channels extending along the longitudinal sides of said platen, sprocket chains disposed in said channels and maintained against lateral displacement thereby, to a holding bar detachably connected at its ends to said sprocket chains and extending transversely with respect to said platen for removably retaining said plurality of strips of paper in side by side relation with the data on the sevt5- eral strips, disposed in transverse alinement. a line guide associated with said platen and extending transversely over said strips of paper to hold said strips upon said platen, and means for moving said sprocket chains in unison to move said holding bar in parallelism with said line guide so as to draw said strips over said platen 'inunison relative to said line guide and platen, thus causing the alined data of said strips to successively register with said line for detachable engagement with said studs, a

line guide associated with said platen and extending transversely over said strips of paper to 7 hold said strips of paper taut, and means for moving said sprocket chains in unison to move said holding bar in parallelism with said line guide so as to drawsaid strips over said platen in unison relative-to said line guide and platen,

thus casing the alined data of said strips to suecessively register with said line guide.

20. In a tabulating device, means for removably retaining a plurality of strips of paper, having columns of numerical data on opposite surfaces thereof, in side by side relation, with the data on the several strips disposed in transverse alinement, and means for moving said retaining means and strips lengthwise of said strips, said retaining means being reversibly attaehable to said moving means to permit said strips to be reversed simultaneously to present the data contained on the opposite surfaces 5 thereof.

FREDERICK A. NIEMANN. 

